Q: I’m concerned about shake roofs and fire risk. Is there a substance that can be applied to shake roofs that will make them more fire resistant?

A: To the best of our knowledge, and after a Web search to verify our belief, there are no products out there that we believe work in a retrofit application. In other words, if the roof is already installed, there’s nothing you can spray or brush on that will make it fire resistant. But if you’re planning to install a new shake roof, there are pressure-treated shakes that are fire-rated.